Report highlights gaps, spurs improvements in Gurugram’s healthcare

To be sure, SARTHAK is a health governance and monitoring initiative by the Haryana government launched in May 2025, for assessing the conditions of existing healthcare infrastructure, services and frontline workers.

Under the Systematic Assessment and Resilient Transformation in Health Accountability and Knowledge (SARTHAK) initiative, the district health department has been preparing a comprehensive action taken report (ATR) on improved healthcare services at public hospitals and urban primary health centres (UPHCs), officials said on Thursday.

Earlier, during November 2025 and before, most patients in the district visited the Civil Hospital for ultrasounds, according to health department officials.

To be sure, SARTHAK is a health governance and monitoring initiative by the Haryana government launched in May 2025, for assessing the conditions of existing healthcare infrastructure, services and frontline workers.

The ATR review is based on inspections conducted by the Haryana Health Department in November 2025, which highlighted gaps in patient care at the Civil Hospital in Sector 10A, the Polyclinic in Sector 31, sub-division hospitals in Sohna and Pataudi, and 25 primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) in the district, said health officials.

Dr Alka Singh, outgoing chief medical officer (CMO) said ultrasound facilities and routine surgical procedures are now being conducted during evening shifts at the Civil Hospital. “Through rationalisation of staff, radiologists are being rotated on a roster basis at Sohna sub-division hospital, Civil Hospital and the Polyclinic, so that patients do not need to travel long distances for ultrasounds at the Civil Hospital,” Singh said.

Earlier, during November 2025 and before, most patients in the district visited the Civil Hospital for ultrasounds, according to health department officials.

“Basic orthopaedic, ear, nose and throat (ENT), ophthalmology and general surgeries are now being performed during the evening as well, with adequate staff and doctors attending patients,” said Dr Lokveer Singh, primary medical officer (PMO) of the Civil Hospital.

According to hospital data, around 330 such surgical procedures were performed at the hospital in December 2024, compared with 230–250 procedures earlier, before the SARTHAK inspections. “Free surgical camps organised between November 17 and 22 under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) increased the overall procedures to 372 in November 2025,” a senior hospital official said, requesting anonymity.

The SARTHAK report highlights concerns at several UPHCs and the Civil Hospital, citing shortages of essential drugs, inadequate power backup and cleanliness issues, according to doctors. Dr Singh said stocks of essential life-saving and infection-control medicines were updated following the inspections.

Health department officials said several of the district’s 28 emergency response vehicles were either non-functional or lacked proper signage. “Nearly all ambulances are now fully operational and running across all subdivisions of the district,” said Dr Singh.

The SARTHAK report also flagged improper signage and broken wheelchairs at the Civil Hospital’s emergency ward, which has now been fixed following the interventions.

At the Sohna sub-division hospital, Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG)—an injection that provides temporary antibodies against Hepatitis B virus (HBV)—will not be given to newborns to reduce the risk of post-exposure protection, said Dr Singh.

The Haryana Health Department has directed the district to expedite construction of new buildings at the Sohna sub-division hospital and the Civil Hospital. “A tender has recently been floated at Sohna for a five-floor building on the existing 9.72-acre campus, which will include isolation and paediatric wards, an LDR (labour, delivery and recovery) room, doctors’ rooms and dedicated nursing stations,” an official said.

“Construction of a new hospital building is underway at the Civil Hospital, equipped with modern facilities, including an ICU and centralised air conditioning. The project is expected to be completed by December 2026 or February 2027,” said Dr Lokveer.